Alright, so this is my first attempt in making a PoT RyoxSaku fanfiction. Please be gentle with me. ^_^ Also, I think that there are some OOC.

I really just love Ryoma and Sakuno and before I posted this one, it was already bothering me a lot, enough to get on my nerves. So even if I don't know whether this will satisfy the readers, I posted it.

It was Spring once again and the sakura are blooming everywhere. It's also the start of a new year for me in Seigaku High. Momo-senpai and the other Senpais are also eagerly watching your watches in the television. They were always celebrating for you whenever you win. Of course, the Senpais miss you a lot. Inui-senpai once said that he'd show you the new version of his Inui Juice Progressive Drink when you get back home. Momo-senpai said that he'd bring you to the food chains where there are more delicious foods. The rest of the Regulars are waiting for you to come back even just for a visit.

Please do visit even just for a short period of time when you're available.

Ryoma read the email that a certain auburn-haired girl sent him through his computer. He and Sakuno exchanged email adds to let each other know what was happening to one another. Well, sort of. Because it was Ryoma who was mostly making mails about himself. Come to think of it, Sakuno never mentioned anything about herself nor about her tennis. There were none whatsoever when it came to her.

Ryoma just shrugged and typed his reply. They had been doing that for three years already but Ryoma was never bothered by it. Even though he sucks at communicating with people and even socializing, he doesn't feel a bit troubled when conversing with Sakuno. Perhaps it was because she's the only girl that he remembered. Even when he was in Japan, he couldn't remember the girls in his class and even their names. But Sakuno was different. He remembers every single detail about her.

Sakuno was a girl who blushes a lot and stutters a lot. She has absolutely no sense of direction and she can get lost anywhere even in her own house. She is also the clumsiest person he knows. She trips over her own legs even without tripping on stones or anything. She sucks a lot in English but is great in Japanese. Even though she has a lot of flaws, she also has a lot of good traits in her. For example, she is a great cook. She can almost rival his mother's cooking skills. She's also caring, kind-hearted and thoughtful. Even though he doesn't want to admit it, she has a beautiful smile, a gentle voice and a warm set of chocolate brown eyes. She also has a long hair that always get tangled in her racket. Even though he told her to cut her hair, a part of him disagrees a lot.

Ryoma remembered the time when he didn't want to help Horio out from a match that was supposed to be his. Sakuno scolded him and he found himself following her order to fight the man who was playing a match against Horio. That man was definitely horrible. But it was worth it because she smiled at him in the end. Somehow, he didn't want to see her upset of him. But then again, he knows that he has hurt her in ways that he didn't know of. He made her cry, maybe twice, worry about him when he was injured and sad when he said something he wasn't aware of. But before he left, he gave her his precious red racket. He wanted her to use his racket to improve. Just like something to encourage her with.

After a few minutes, he decided against making a reply mail to her. He already defeated almost everyone that he wanted to defeat and claimed a lot of trophies but something was still missing. He just couldn't put a finger on what it was but there was something that didn't make his life complete.

He then felt something bump his leg and he saw Karupin. The cat jumped to his lap and rubbed its head on his chest. He patted it on the head and looked at it.

"Ne, Karupin. Do you know what's missing right now?" He asked the cat that just meowed in response.

Ryoma smirked and stood up. Karupin jumped down and to the bed while Ryoma packed his things. He carried Karupin out and purchased a ticket to Japan. He decided to go back home to find out what the missing thing was. While on the flight, he was thinking as to what the thing could possibly be. Then, Sakuno's smiling face popped into his mind.

'Why'd I suddenly think of her?' He thought as he looked at the tennis ball in his hands. It was the one that Sakuno made with his chibi drawing. A smirk unconsciously found its way on his lips and when he noticed the said smirk, he just closed his eyes and placed the ball in his pocket before leaning his head on the window.

The sound of the ball hitting the wall sounded through the quiet gorunds of Seigaku High. The twin braids flying through the air while the racket hits the ball back and forth was seen. Sakuno was busy practicing her skills. Surely, she improved a lot. She had been using Ryoma's red YonexBRIDGESTONE racket ever since he gave it to her. Aside from the mails they send each other, it was the only thing that connects her to him.

After she got a hundred hits, she sighed and picked the ball on the ground then hid it in her pocket. Then, the rain started without any warning. Sakuno looked up and sighed. She just let the rain soak her through and through. She was feeling a little down but she didn't know why. Sakuno just stayed under the tree but she didn't mind the rain making her wet. Her sight wandered to the racket she was holding and a certain golden cat-eyed boy somewhere crossed her mind.

"Ryoma-kun..." she whispered as she hugged the racket closer to her.

'I want to see you. I want you to know that I improved in tennis. I may not be as good as you but I'm not the worst like how I was years ago. I've been using the racket you gave me. I also wanted to tell you about some of my accomplishments in tennis but... I find it hard to do so. I think that it was just... not important and irrelevant.' She thought while clutching the racket.

Sakuno lost track of time as to how many minutes or hours she stayed under the rain. It was not letting up while her sadness was not easing up either. She sighed again while looking at the pouring rain. Because she was too occupied with her thoughts, she didn't notice a figure approaching her.

When Sakuno opened her eyes, she saw a can of Ponta in front of her being held out by someone in front of her. She looked at the person and gasped. She saw a cat-eyed boy around her age with black hair and green highlights wearing a familiar white cap, red jacket and pants. She was reminded of the Prince who was in America playing a match against different players from around the world.

"Here." The boy said nonchalantly. That corrected Sakuno's hunch as to who the boy was.

"R-Ryoma-kun..."

"Yo." Ryoma quirked an eyebrow and looked at the soaked auburn-haired girl in front of him.

"Wh-Why are you... here...?"

Ryoma just shrugged and motioned the can of Ponta that he was holding. Sakuno accepted it even though her hands were trembling. Perhaps it was because of the cold. Or it was because of the Prince who came back without any notice. Ryoma stood next to her under the tree and looked ahead. Sakuno mustered all the courage she can and looked at him.

"Don't you have an upcoming match?" She was surprised at herself for not stuttering just like how she usually is.

"Hn."

"Why are you here?"

"I'm looking for something." Ryoma answered.

"What is it? C-Can I help?" Sakuno looked at the can in her hands while Ryoma looked at her from the corner of his eyes.

"I don't know what I'm looking for." Ryoma said lazily.

"Eh?"

"I just know that something's missing."

"O-Oh, I see. Does your family know that you're here?"

Ryoma shook his head a bit and sighed. Sakuno wondered as to why he sighed then saw the boy remove his jacket and place it on her shoulders.

"Use it."

"E-Eh? B-But I'm already wet."

"Don't care. Just use it."

Ryoma just can't tell her that he finds it hard to look at her when her clothes were tightly clinging to her body because of the rain, can he? Sakuno slid her arms through the sleeves and smiled at Ryoma. One thing more that the Prince got to admit, Sakuno looked good in his jacket.

"Thank you."

"Hn."

Silence made its way between the two while Sakuno was drinking the Cherry Ponta that Ryoma gave. The racket that she was previously holding was between the two of them, leaning on the tree. If Sakuno was a five-year-old girl, she would probably believe that the racket made her wish come true of seeing Ryoma.

"Why are you standing here without an umbrella?" Ryoma asked which caught Sakuno off-guard.

"E-Eh? Oh... Umm... It's because... I uhh... I don't know..." Sakuno stuttered. That was the truth. She just felt like getting soaked by the rain but right now, she was feeling alright. For some reason, now that she's with Ryoma, she feels better.

"Let's play a match." Ryoma ordered as he walked ahead.

"Ch-Chotto matte, Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno picked up the racket and ran after the boy. Being the usual klutz she had always been, she tripped. Luckily, Ryoma caught her before she took a dive to the ground.

"You're still clumsy." He commented.

"S-Sorry..."

"And your hair's still too long." He helped Sakuno to stand before walking. Sakuno sighed and followed Ryoma to the tennis court of Seigaku High.

"Show me what you've been doing with my racket." Ryoma said as he stood on the other side of the court with his other red racket in his right hand.

"H-Hai!" Sakuno bent her knees and served the ball. Its speed was reduced a bit because of the wet ground but Ryoma could say that the girl improved in both her stance and serve. Ryoma ran to the right and returned the ball. Sakuno was jumping a bit on her place before running and using her foot to hop a bit.

'Split Step?' Ryoma thought as Sakuno returned the ball. He ran and used his Drive A to return the ball. It was only when the ball crossed the net that he noticed what he did. He was supposed to go easy on Sakuno but to his surprise, Sakuno used a smash to return the ball.

Ryoma smirked under his cap and they played a match as if it was a real game under the rain. After thirty minutes, Ryoma won with the scores being 6-3 while Sakuno was panting. She never played a serious match against Ryoma before.

"I told you to mail me something relevant." Ryoma said while sitting beside her on the bench.

"H-Huh?" Sakuno looked at Ryoma who was looking at his red racket which she was holding.

"You never mailed anything about yourself and your tennis." Ryoma took the racket and examined it. It was very well used. He pulled the gut here and there then placed it on Sakuno's hand again.

"I-I thought it wasn't important..." Sakuno asnwered while blushing.

"How were you able to do the Split Step?"

Ryoma noticed how talkative he was that day. He spoke more than his usual amount of sentences. More so, to a girl. Then again, he wasn't troubled. It was Sakuno after all but why doesn't it bother him if she was the one he was talking to?

'Maybe it's because she's quiet and more feminine than any other girl.' Ryoma thought.

"I umm... I learned that by... watching your video that Inui-senpai took. I practiced that day and night until I was able to get it right." Sakuno shyly answered.

"Hmm. Why didn't you mail anything about that?"

"I-It's not that big of an accomplishment... I trip every now and then..."

"Should've told me." Ryoma stated. No, more like commanded.

"Sorry."

Ryoma sighed and stood up.

"Let's go."

"Where?"

"Changing Room."

Sakuno just followed Ryoma but she stayed outside knowing that girls are off-limits to the men's changing room. Ryoma entered the place where his bag was, took something from it and placed it on the bench. He went out again and looked at Sakuno who was leaning against the wall.

"Change your clothes."

"Eh?" Sakuno blushed as she looked at Ryoma.

"You'll get sick and Coach Ryuzaki will kill me."

"B-But... I don't have any..."

"Use my clothes on the bench." Ryoma said as he leaned on the wall outside the changing room. Sakuno hesistantly went inside and saw Ryoma's clothes folded on the bench. She quickly took of her blue shirt and skirt then wore Ryoma's red and white shirt then shorts. She folded her clothes and called Ryoma. Said boy went inside and looked at her.

He found himself wanting to not let her go out of the room while wearing his clothes. Heck, she looked a lot cuter than when she was wearing her previous clothes. He prided himself for being the only one to have seen her in her current state. Then, he felt that he was not longing for the missing thing he thought of earlier now that he was looking at Sakuno.

'It was Ryuzaki? She's the one that was missing?' He thought. He looked at the blushing girl again and smirked a bit. Yeah, she was the one who was missing. But why? Alright, he didn't know the answer to that but he'll find it out for sure.

"R-Ryoma-kun, I'll go out so you can change."

'Bad idea. No one's allowed to see you like that except me.' Ryoma thought. His possessive side was winning again.

"Stay but face the wall." Ryoma ordered. Sakuno blushed ten shades of crimson and went to the corner of the room. She bowed her head and closed her eyes. Ryoma took his other set of clothes from his bag then changed into it. Meanwhile, Sakuno was busy thinking.

'Mou... Ryoma-kun said that I should've told him about my tennis but it's just not important. Still, he insisted. I think I made him angry. Geez! I really am the worst.' She thought while her eyes were closed. She was so into her thoughts that she didn't notice that Ryoma was calling her.

"Ryuzaki. Ryuzaki."

'When am I going to stop bringing Ryoma-kun trouble? It has been three years since he left and when he came back, I started giving him problems again. Ryuzaki Sakuno, you are such a failure!'

"Ryuzaki!" Ryoma summoned as he gently tugged one of Sakuno's braids lightly and that was when Sakuno opened her eyes and looked at him. Good thing that Ryoma was already finished in changing his clothes. He was wearing a white collared shirt with red stripe on the chest and pants.

"Wh-What is it, Ryoma-kun?"

"What's wrong?"

"O-Oh, it's nothing."

"Three years passed but you're still a bad liar." Ryoma smirked as he commented her flaw that made Sakuno blush again.

"I-It's just that... I've been... giving you a lot of trouble even though you just came back... I'm very sorry, Ryoma-kun."

Ryoma just shook his head and sat on the bench. It was still raining but for some reason, he didn't care. His attention was fully concentrated on the twin-braided girl.

"It's nothing."

"Still... I'm sorry. I-If I can do something to make it up to you... please tell me."

"Food." Ryoma answered without any second thought.

"Food? You want me to cook for you?"

"Yeah."

"Then, you're staying here for a while? What about your match?" Sakuno asked curiously. Ryoma won the Grand Slam and all the other glamorous tennis competitions he had to fight but of course, he still had some fights here and there.

"I don't care about it. I'm staying here."

"That... That's great, Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno beamed with a beautiful smile that caught Ryoma off-guard. Did Sakuno's smile change or was it that she just became more beautiful? Who cares? It's a smile that he likes.

'Just when did I say that Ryuzaki's beautiful?' The Prince thought as he looked at the smiling girl.

'I guess just five seconds ago. Stupid hormones.'

Now that he's fifteen, he finally understood the things he had been forcing at the back of his mind when he was twelve. Including the feelings he has whenever he was with Sakuno. Adding the answer he came up with earlier, he knows that he's not going back to America without her. Even if he has to stay in Japan to stay with her, he'd do it without any second thought.

"Then, I'll leave my lunch to you."

"Hai! I'll cook it everyday."

Ryoma placed his bag to the floor so that Sakuno can sit beside him which the girl did.

"Are you going to study here?" Sakuno asked. Ryoma nodded as an answer.

"Oh. In what class?"

"You'll know tomorrow." Ryoma answered with a smirked. Before he went to the changing room to leave his bag and before he saw Sakuno bathing in the rain, he submitted his entry form to the principal. Of course, he was immediately accepted.

"Okay. Are you... going to play as a Regular here again?"

"Yeah. Buchou's still the captain, right?"

"Hai. Ano, good luck, Ryoma-kun. And, welcome back."

"Hn."

They talked with each other until the rain stopped. They both went out of the changing room and Sakuno went to the girl's changing room to take her things. She placed her wet clothes as well as Ryoma's jacket in her paper bag then went outside after locking the door.

"Let's go." Ryoma said.

"Eh? You'll walk me home?"

"Yeah."

"Thank you, Ryoma-kun."

They started walking while Sakuno had a smile on her face. Sakuno was really glad that Ryoma was back and that he was staying for quite some time. Also, she noticed that somehow, if she squinted, she'd see that they got closer even just a little bit. She waved goodbye to Ryoma when they reached her house then watched the Prince's retreating back as he walked home.

"Tadaima." Ryoma said as he took his shoes off and placed them in the shoe rack.

"Echizen Nanjiro isn- EH! Seishounen, why are you here!" Nanjiroh exclaimed when he saw Ryoma. Then, Rinko and Nanako came when they heard Nanjiroh.

"Welcome back, Ryoma-san." Nanako said.

"It's good to have you back, Ryoma." Rinko said as she ruffled Ryoma's hair playfully.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE! You have an upcoming match!" Nanjiroh said.

"So?"

"You don't care? I wonder why you don't? Is it because a blonde babe said that you should go back here?" The monk teased. At this, Ryoma smirked.

"No. I came back for an auburn-haired klutz." Ryoma said.

"Auburn? EH! That young boy really answered my question! Oi, Seishounen! Who's that auburn-haired beauty!"

"You don't have to know." Ryoma answered before slamming his door shut.